Game apparatus



July 16, 1935. J. MOODIE GAME APPARATUS Filed Dec. 27, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I ZJ M. .J/ MOOdZG ON Nm July 16, 1935. Y J MQQDIE I 2,008,588

GAME APPARATUS Filed Dec; 2'7. 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 77 7 .33 3 gwwmtoz Patented July is, 1935 UNITED STATES P'ATENT OFFICE '1 Claims.

a discharge opening in the board, when the board is repeatedly rocked through the required angle. A pocket is provided for each board, and means are also provided for directing the spheres, after they are discharged from the boards into the pocketv associated with that board over which a player has caused a sphere to travel to its discharge opening before the player operating the other board has caused a sphere to travel to, and through the discharge opening of the board operated by him.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated and in which: I

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the game apparatus;

Figure 2 is a side view of the game apparatus;

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the game apparatus as viewed from the left of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is atop plan view of the pockets and the means for directing the spheres into the pocket ,associated with the board operated by the most skillful player;

Figure 5 is asection on the line 5-5 of Figure 4; and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a fragmentary portion of one of the boards.

Referring in detail to the drawings, I designates a support which, while it may be of any desired construction, is shown for the purpose of illustration as comprising a base 2 and bearing standards 3, 4 and 5. The base 2 is of elongated form, the standards 3 and 4 are mounted upon the base approximately at the ends of same, and the standard 5 is mounted upon the base approximately centrally thereof and in alinement with the standards 3 and I. The standards 3, 4 and 5 are provided at their upper ends with open bearings 3 4 and 5, respectively.

Boards 6 and I, preferablyof elliptical form,

are mounted side by side upon the support I for independent rocking; movement about their minor axes, as by means of shafts 8 and 3, secured, respectively, to the under sides of the boards 6 and I, in parallel relation to the minor axes of' the boards and J'ournaled in the bearings 3 l and 5. Means are provided for rocking the boards, such means being shown as consisting of downwardly extending cranks III and II, connected respectively, to the shafts 8 and 9.

The boards 6 and I are provided on their upper sides with spiral tracks I2 and I3, respectively, which extend from points close to the outer side edges of the boards to points adjacent to the centers of the boards and the axes about which the boards are rocked. Rests I4 and I5 for spheres I6, are located at the outer ends of the 15 respectivespiral tracks I2 and I3, and the inner terminals of ftherails of said tracks are bent transversely of the boards 6 and 1 to form stops I I and I 8 for the spheres. .The rests I4 and I5 ex tend above the spiral tracks I2 and I3. The tracks 2 I2 and H are of uniform width or gauge from their outer ends to .points adjacent their inner ends from which points the tracks are wider apart, at as I2 and I3, respectively, as shown in Figures 1 and 6. The diameterv of the spheres I6 is larger 25 than the width or gauge of the major portions I2 and I3 of the tracks I2 and I3 so that the spheres, will be supported. by the upper edges of the rails of the tracks while rolling from the outer ends to the inner ends of the tracks, but smaller than the width or gauge of the inner end portions I2 and I 3 0i the tracks, so that the spheres will pass downwardly between the rails of the tracks when they reach the inner endsof the tracks. Discharge openings I9 and 2II are formed, respectively, in the boards 6 and 1 below the widened minor portions I2 and I3 of the tracks I2 and I3 rearwardly of the stops I1 and I 8; Guards 2I and 22 extend around and project above the outer curved ends of the tracks I2 and I3, respectively. 40

" The boards 6 and I are preferably formed from metal stamped or otherwise shaped to provide the spiral tracks I2 and I3, the rests I4 and I5, the stops I1 and I8 and the discharge openings I9 and 20, as shown in Figs. 1 and 6, but obviously 4 the boards 6 and I may comprise metal plates 6' and I having spiral strips 6 and 1 soldered or welded to their upper sides to form the spiral tracks IZand I3. It will also be obvious that each of the boards 6 and I may be made from a'single strip of metal of channel or angular form in cross section, or from wood or other suitable material grooved to, provide the spiral tracks I2 and I3, rests-It and I5 and stops I1 and I8, and 55 A board 23 to receive the spheres l6 as they fall through the discharge openings l9 and 29 oi! the boards 6 and I, is mounted upon the support I below the boards 6 and I, and inclines downwardly from a point forwardly of the discharge openings l9 and 20 or the boards 6 and I to points rearwardly or said openings. board 23 contact with the inner sides of the standards 3 and I, and a notch 24 formed in one longitudinal edge of said board straddles the standard 5; The board 23 is removably supported in its inclined position upon the support I preferably by pins 25 extending upwardly from the latter and by pins 26 extending from the opposite sides 01 the standard 5. The lower or forward edge or the board 23 rests against the pins 25, and the under side of the board rests upon the pins 26.

A metal strip 21 is secured to the upper side of the board 23 below the board 6, and a similar metal strip 28 is secured to the upper side or the board 23 below the board T. The strips 21 and 28 curve downwardly and forwardly from the transverse center of the board 23, and their outer ends 2'! and 28, respectively, are directed rearwardly. The strip 21 and its rearwardly-directed end 21" form a ball-receiving pocket 29 for the board 6, andthe strip 28 and its rearwardlydirected end 28 form a ball-receiving pocket 30 for the board I. The entrance 29 to the pocket 29, and the entrance 30 to the pocket 30, are arranged in close parallel relation and are located centrally between the discharge openings I9 and 20 of the boards 6 and I.

A metal strip 3| is secured to the upper side of the board 23 above and rearwardly of the pocket 29, and a similar metal strip 32 is secured to the upper side of the board 23 above and rearwardly of the pocket 39. The strips 3| and 32 incline downwardly from points outwardly beyond the discharge-openings I9 and 20 of the boards 6 and I to points close to the entrances 29- and 30"- of the ball-receiving pockets 29 and 39. When the spheres l6 drop through the discharge openings l9 and 20 they are guided. by the strips 3| and 32 to the entrances 29 and 30 of the pockets 29 and 30.

A gate 33 is mounted on the board 23 between the entrances to the pockets 29 and 30 to swing on an axis at a right angle to the face of the board 23 with its free end between the adjacent ends or the strips 3| and 32. The gate 33 normally occupies a position centrally between. the adjacent ends of the strips 3| and 32, as shown by solidlines in Figures 3 and 4. The gate 33 is adapted to be moved from its normal position into contact with the adjacent'end 01 one or the strips'3l and 32, so as to close the entrance to one of the pockets 29 and 30 and open the entrance to the other pocket, as shown by broken lines in Figures 3 and 4.

Obviously, the member 23 may be formed from sheet metal stamped up to provide the pockets 29 and 39 and the guides 3| and 32.

The manner in whichthe apparatus is used is as follows: The apparatus' may be placed ,upon a table or the like, and the players may sit or stand at opposite sides or the apparatus. After each player has placed a sphere I6 upon the outer end or each one or the spiral tracks |2 and I3, each player grasps the crank III or II- or the board 3 or 1 upon which he has placed 2,008,588 slotted to provide the discharge openings J9 and The ends or the a sphere and at the word go, rocks his board to cause the sphere to roll along the spiral track from the outer to the inner end thereof. Since the spheres l6 roll along the upper edges of the rails or the tracks l2 and I3 until they reach the inner ends of the tracks, and since the tracks define a circuitous path, the boards 6 and I must be repeatedly and rapidly rocked, .and a high degree of. skill must be exercised in rocking the boards, in order to cause the spheres to roll continuously and rapidly from the outer to the inner ends of the tracks. When the spheres l3 reach the imfer ends of the tracks I2 and I3, they fall through the discharge openings l9 and 29 onto the inclined board 23. The spheres l6 roll downwardly on the board 23 and are guided by the strips 3| and 32 toward the ,free end oi. the gate 33. If the spheres I6 are discharged from the boards 6 and at different times, the sphere which is the first to be discharged from one of the boards will be directed by its guide strip 3| or 32 into contact with one side of the free end of the gate 33, with the result that the gate will be swung into contact with the lower end of the other guide as shown in Figure 4. With the gate in this position, the sphere which later, drops through the discharge opening of the other board will be directed into the pocket associated with the board from which a sphere was first dis-' charged. If the spheres l6 are simultaneously discharged from the boards 6 and I, the spheres will be simultaneously directed by the guides 3| and 32 against opposite sides of the free end of the gate 33, with the result that the gate will not be moved and will retain the spheres on their respective guides. Since the spheres |6 will enter the pocket associated with the board from which a sphere was first discharged, no dispute can arise as to which of the players succeeded in first dischargingthe sphere from his board. Alter the spheres l6 have been discharged from the boards 6 and l, the gate is returned to its normal position, a sphere is again placed upon each or the boards, and the players again begin to rock the boards at the word go. As many spheres may be used as may be decided upon by the players, and the player pocketing the greater number of spheres wins the game. The rests l4 and I5 prevent the spheres I3 from moving rearwardly off of the tracks l2 and I3 during the initial rocking movements'of the boards 9 and 1, and the guards 2|. and 22 prevent the spheres l6 from moving oil the ends 01' the boards 9 and I.

The stops I1 and I3 insure the passage or the spheres l6 through the discharge openings l9 and 20 when the spheres reach the inner endsof the tracks l2 and I3.

The boards 6, I and 23 are removable from the support in order that the boards and support may be packed compactly for storage or shipment. A single player may find entertaining diversion by operating one of the boards to ascertain the shortest time in which he can cause a sphere to travel continuously on the track from the outer end of the track to the discharge opening.

I claim as my invention:-

1. A game apparatus comprising boards pivoted for individual rocking, each board having a c'irspheres into the pocket associated with the board from which the sphere was first discharged.

2. A game apparatus comprising boards pivoted for individual rocking, each board having a circuitous track and a discharge opening at one end of said track, spheres adapted during the rocking of said boards to roll along said tracks to and through said discharge openings, a pocket for each of said boards, said pockets having entrances arranged in close parallel relation, a pivoted gate between the entrances to said pockets, and means adapted to direct the respective spheres after they have been discharged .from said boards against opposite sides of said end of said track, spheres adapted during the rocking of said boards to roll along said tracks to and through said discharge openings, a pocket located below each of said boards, said pockets having entrances arranged in close parallel relation between said boards, a guide located below the discharge opening of each of said boards and inclining downwardly in the direction of the en-" trances to said pockets, and a gate located between the entrances to said pocket, said gate being pivotally mounted at one end and having its free end arranged between the lower ends of said uides.

4. A game apparatus comprising a support, shafts journaled upon the support and each provided at one end with a crank, a board fixed be-' into the pocket associated with the board from which the sphere was first discharged.

5. A game apparatus comprising two devices having tracks for the travel of spheres thereon and apertures for discharge of such spheres, said devices being individually operable to each dis charge a sphere, means onto which the spheres discharge and roll in different directions, and a movably mounted element coaeting with said devices and said means located between the zones of discharge of the spheres, said element being disposed in the path of rolling of both spheres to control the destination thereof, said element being movable by the sphere first to engage the element to guide each of the spheres thereafter in the same direction for scoring purposes.

6. A game apparatus having a pair of guide members inclined downwardly toward one another and spaced apart at their adjacent ends and providing surfaces along which spheres are "1 adapted to roll from different directions, and a movably mounted element disposed between the adjacent ends of said guide members and in the path of rolling of each sphere to control the destination thereof, said element being displaceable. by contact therewith of a sphere on one of said guide members, into engagement with the adjacent end of the other guide member to direct each of the spheres in the same direction for scoring purposes.

7. A game apparatus having a pair of guide members inclined downwardly toward one another and spaced apart at their adjacent ends and providing surfaces along which spheres are adapted to roll from dilferent directions, a pair :z:

of pockets located below the level of said guide member, an element between said pockets and pivoted for movement into engagement with the adjacent end of one or the other of said guide members, said element being disposed in the path of rolling of each sphereand displaceable, by contact therewith of the sphere first to reach it while rolling on one of said guide members, into engagement with the adjacent end of the other guide member, to direct each of the spheres into the same pocket.

JOHN MOODIE. 

